It says only 17% of people over 65 - an increasingly large section of the population - have used e-government services compared to 94% of 16 to 24 year olds.
The government is aiming to make its services available electronically to all by 2005. But it also needs to tackle barriers such as the physiological effects of ageing, lack of confidence with new technology and cost if older people are to be included, the NAO said.
It calls for a clear definition of how the government intends to measure e-government progress; a target for monitoring usage by older people; a marketing campaign in the media most commonly used by older people to promote e-government services; and assurance that the requirements of those with disabilities are taken into account.
The government's new network of 6,000 UK online centres, which offer internet access in libraries and other public places, has made some impact but head of the NAO Sir John Bourn expressed doubts over the sustainability of some of the centres and said progress had been "slower than expected" in setting them up in deprived areas.
While the government's digital TV programme is also seen as a way of delivering services to older people without PCs or other means of connecting to the internet, Sir John said departments should not develop more services until "a clear business case for the medium" had been proven.
Many government websites, according to the report, still do not contain design features that would make them accessible to older people despite efforts to make them user friendly for those with visual impairments.
The report provides a further warning that the e-government programme, which will have soaked up £6bn of government investment by 2006, may end up increasing the gap between the well-off and sections of the population who stand to benefit from it most.
Sir John said: "Older people are major users of public services but, as a section of society, are far less likely to access those services electronically. However, these e-services are potentially a great boon to older people many of whom have mobility problems, have difficulty in gaining access to sources of information, live alone or want to remain independent and involved."
Quelle: netimperative
